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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The Empire, and most other nations, maintained a generally amicable relationship with the otherworlders.
While their sudden appearance had been unsettling, they were, for the most part, on humanity’s side.
And outright hostility was impractical. There were simply too many of them.
Not only were there a lot of them, but they didn’t die, and they grew stronger over time.
If this trend continued, the otherworlders’ combined strength could eventually surpass that of Gaia’s people.
So, the nations had no choice but to befriend them. Antagonizing them would only lead to trouble.
Even Gaia, the goddess of this world, had declared, “Though you are uninvited guests, I welcome you.”
Fortunately, most otherworlders were friendly, and they could communicate. It was easy to win them over.
And befriending them had an unexpected benefit.
Information gathering.
Like a sprawling network, while individual otherworlders weren’t particularly strong, their collective reach was vast.
They’d learned about Yor, of course. The bounty on his head had made him a topic of discussion.
And they knew a lot about him.
Reilly, the Fourth Knight Commander, reviewed the documents, organizing his thoughts.
‘A powerful individual living in the forest.’
‘A man known to many otherworlders.’
‘And… the demon child the Empire failed to capture thirteen years ago.’
The last piece of information hadn’t come from the otherworlders. He’d uncovered it himself.
He’d been a trainee knight back then, but the incident had caused quite a stir.
It was recorded as one of the Empire’s failures.
They’d searched for the child, but he’d vanished without a trace. They’d assumed he was dead.
‘To think he’d survived all this time in that dangerous forest…’
It was an impressive feat.
And from a knight’s perspective, a troublesome one.
Carriers were executed on sight, in every nation.
They were ticking time bombs. A potential threat that had to be eliminated.
Unfortunately, those who protected Carriers were also considered enemies. Their misguided compassion endangered countless lives.
The two recent incidents were a result of such misplaced sympathy.
He’d known about Yor for a while.
But they’d been too busy to take action.
The arena had mitigated some of the problems caused by the otherworlders, but conflicts still arose.
And then there were the demons, the Lemegeton investigation…
They were stretched thin.
But Dantalion’s defeat had freed up some resources.
‘This is our only chance.’
And once again, it was his responsibility.
The First Knight Commander couldn’t leave the Emperor’s side.
The Second Knight Commander was busy dealing with otherworlder-related incidents… and seducing men.
The Third and Fifth Knight Commanders were investigating Lemegeton.
That left him.
He grumbled, but he prepared diligently.
He gave his exhausted troops a much-needed rest and pestered the Minister of Finance for funding.
Then, he began drafting the announcement.
The 5 million gold bounty had yielded no results.
Not only had it failed, but he hadn’t even received any reports of attempts.
It simply wasn’t worth the risk.
Reilly thought quickly.
‘He’s strong. Even Dantalion was injured and forced to retreat.’
‘The terrain is unfavorable. We have to consider the monsters in the Forbidden Forest.’
‘His popularity with the otherworlders is concerning… but we can offer a reward and punish those who defy the decree.’
He estimated that it wouldn’t be an easy fight.
The conditions were far from ideal.
But it had to be done.
They couldn’t ignore the ticking time bomb in their midst.
Carriers had to be eliminated. They weren’t human. There was no room for hesitation.
That was what he’d been taught, the unwavering truth passed down through generations of knights.
He finished drafting the announcement and presented it to the Emperor.
Once approved, it would be sent to the administrative department.
It would be polished and then posted on the guild board.
Time passed.
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A month passed.
Nothing unusual happened.
It rained briefly, then the sky cleared.
No monsters emerged from the deep layers of the forest. Despite the bounty, few ventured into the Forbidden Forest. Even the annoying Lemegeton cultists had disappeared.
The only noteworthy event was that Happy… Shin Han-byeol, had kept her promise and delivered the holy water.
“Wow, I didn’t expect you to actually come. Thanks, Happy!”
“…Shut up.”
He’d acquired two vials of holy water, thanks to her.
He’d paid her generously.
He’d had a Berserk A episode, but the two vials had helped him manage.
Life was… good.
He was enjoying a level of peace he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
He had friends to talk to, a steady supply of holy water…
He was a wanted criminal, but his life had actually improved since his identity as a Carrier was revealed.
‘Maybe I should just… keep living like this?’
The thought crossed his mind.
But the calm before the storm was always the most deceptive.
The bad news arrived swiftly.
“Yor! Yor!”
“Something terrible has happened! Terrible!”
Chae-rin and Ha-neul arrived, their faces pale with anxiety.
It was unusual. Ha-neul was usually busy editing, and one messenger was enough.
They rarely came together. And their expressions… something was wrong.
They showed him a piece of paper, a copy of a notice posted on the guild board.
He read it.
Humanity, and the Empire, have proven their strength by repeatedly defeating demons.
However, a potential threat remains.
A certain individual residing in the Forbidden Forest.
This individual, a descendant of demons tainted by their vile blood, continues to live in hiding.
Furthermore, certain otherworlders are aware of this individual’s existence and have chosen to remain silent.
The Empire can no longer tolerate this threat.
Therefore, a subjugation force, led by the Fourth Knight Commander, will be dispatched to eliminate this individual.
We urge all citizens to cooperate with the subjugation efforts.
A reward of 10 million gold will be granted to each of the ten individuals who contribute the most to the subjugation.
Furthermore, any individual, even otherworlders, who aids or protects this individual after the issuance of this decree will be punished severely by law.
Yor’s face hardened.
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A new notice appeared on the guild board.
+
[What is this?]
+
+
[What’s this notice on the Adventurer’s Guild board?]
+
The online community erupted in a frenzy.
The notice concerned them directly.
A certain individual residing in the Forbidden Forest. They all knew who it was.
Yor.
He was a well-known NPC in the community. The announcement had a significant impact.
+
[Why is this notice written so informally?]
The Andromalius announcement was polite. This is kinda rude;
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[The Church issued the Andromalius notice. This is a decree from the Emperor.]
[Oh.]
[So what if he’s the Emperor? Doesn’t he know he should use formal language when addressing the public?]
[You idiot.]
[The Emperor can do whatever he wants;]
[That’s not the point! It’s a subjugation decree, you idiots!]
[No! They can’t kill Yor!]
+
[What does “punished severely by law” mean…?]
Like, we can’t even give him items or talk to him?
+
[Yep.]
[What happens if we defend him?]
[I have a friend who works for the government. Aiding or protecting a Carrier is punishable by death.]
[So, a 3-day ban?]
[I wish. The fact that they specifically mentioned otherworlders is concerning…]
[They might imprison us or banish us from the Empire.]
[Whoa;]
[That’s harsh.]
+
[How much is 10 million gold?]
We get 100 million won just for helping? We don’t even have to kill him? Damn, I’m in.
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[You asshole.]
[You’d participate just for the money? Seriously?]
[What’s wrong with that? 10 million gold is a lot of money. I’d kill an NPC for that much.]
[Right lol. Money talks.]
Countless discussions raged across the community. Thousands of players, with differing opinions.
Some wanted to protect Yor. Some mourned his impending demise. Some didn’t care.
And many were interested in participating in the subjugation. Mostly the “dark gamers.”
10 million gold was a lot of money.
Arguments broke out.
Some condemned those who were willing to participate. Others argued that he was just an NPC. It was just a game.
And with a subjugation decree issued, his chances of survival were slim. Most players knew this.
As the debate raged, a player posted a simple question.
It was the crux of the matter.
+
[So, this is a boss raid, right?]
+
It was a boss raid, just with a human boss.
Most players agreed.
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System Notification 
Oof … off to the deep region for Yor
Full powered yor coming soon
This is going to be far more difficult than they are bargaining for.
And not just because of Yor’s strength, but because of the old tiger and other monstrosities living in the deep forest.
This could easily go from a boss raid to a dungeon break kind of scenario.
Look at how they persecute my boy.